Two and a half
by cyndaquilka
Summary: Chrom wants nothing more than to spend some quality time with Robin. But whenever things start going in the right direction, they are brutally interrupted. Finally, he's had enough.
1. Chapter 1

He was never into romance novels, but Chrom could bet there was at least one book that described his situation perfectly well. A boy met a girl, he saw the girl naked, the girl saw him naked, she threw a soap dish at him, and − bam! − they're in love. If that wasn't a love story, Chrom didn't know what was.

Ever since then, he did everything to be with Robin as often as he possibly could, preferably one-on-one. He knew, of course, that they were in a constant danger of a war breaking out, and time often turned out to be a scarce resource. The more he valued the days of relative peace, when he could focus all of his attention on the more private aspects of his tactician. Even for several moments. Unfortunately, even this had been taken away from him.

"Is everything in order, milord?"

As much as Chrom appreciated the efforts Frederick put into his work, the man was certainly outdoing himself. Whenever the prince was left alone with Robin for more than a few minutes, the ever-vigilant knight would burst into the scene to kill all the mood.

Today, for example, Chrom had been looking forward to spend the entire evening in the tactician's company. It had been almost a week since their last battle with Risen, so everyone was allowed to relax a bit. This was also the first evening since his declaration of love when neither he nor Robin had any prior engagements. The prince planned every detail. He told the Shepherds he was going to be unavailable for the night, and so they should report all their problems to Frederick. This would keep the knight busy. He would definitely not storm into Robin's tent at the most inappropriate moment.

Or so Chrom thought.

Their evening had barely begun. They ate dinner in the candlelight, talked about their day, about their plans for after the return to Ylisstol. Robin was overthinking, as always, making sure she had a strategy ready for every outcome. Chrom told her there was no need to worry. He moved closer to sit right next to the woman. Before either of them knew, his hand found his way under Robin's robes. He caressed her thigh, put an arm around her, looked into her eyes. There, he found as much love and desire as he himself was feeling at the moment. The prince leaned in to place a light kiss on her lower lip, and…

"I cannot hear you speak, milord. Please tell, is everything in order? A confirmation would be highly appreciated."

… jumped away when he heard Frederick's voice. The man felt just as humiliated as he assumed he would if either Emmeryn or Lissa walked in on him having sex with a girl. Which, he reminded himself, he had every intention of doing. The person catching him in the act was not his relative, though. It was his trusted knight. And it wasn't the first time he was interrupting.

But this time, Chrom had had enough.

"Alright, that's it," said the prince, jumping to his feet. "Frederick!"

"He's not doing this on purpose, you know?" said Robin, attempting to laugh off her own frustration.

"Yes, I do," Chrom admitted. "And that's what frightens me most."

The knight's head appeared inside Robin's tent.

"You called me, milord?" he asked out of courtesy, having heard the prince perfectly well.

"My tent, now," ordered Chrom, giving Robin one more regretful look before disappearing.

When they could at last talk privately, the man wasted no time for preambles and moved straight to the point.

"Frederick, you have two lieges to take care of. Why won't you go check on Lissa?"

If Chrom didn't know any better, he would say that his question made Frederick uneasy.

"I would gladly do so, milord. However, I must regretfully admit that whenever I turn my back to milady for one second, she disappears. I spend hours trying to find her, but to no avail."

"So you just leave her alone?!" said Chrom in horror.

"Oh no, sire, I would never do such thing. Lon'qu keeps an eye on her, just like you ordered. Before you express your worry, milord, I wish to assure you that I made sure he keeps a more-than-respectable distance."

The prince shook his head, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. And when exactly did he appoint the weirdo to look after his little sister?

"Nevertheless, I would highly appreciate it if you would fulfill your obligations as a knight regarding both me _and_ Lissa."

The knight moved the dirt around with his foot. Apparently, there was something that bothered him.

"I don't believe she needs me anymore," he half-mumbled after a pause.

Chrom blinked. This didn't seem right.

"Why would you say that?" he inquired.

Frederick's ears turned red. Was there something embarrassing he didn't want to admit?

"For some time now, despite my best efforts, milady has been avoiding me," said Frederick, lowering his gaze. Admitting that he somehow failed at being a knight was uncomfortable enough without Chrom's presence. "I am under the impression that she dislikes my company, milord."

"Nonsense," the prince assured him. "Let me talk to her. I'm sure there's got to be a logical explanation."

* * *

"Lissa!" Chrom walked angrily around the camp, searching for his little sister. "Lissa!"

"I'm here, Chrom, you don't need to yell," said the princess with an annoyed expression on her face, as she crawled out from the ladies' tent. No wonder Frederick couldn't find her. "What do you want? Have Risen invaded the camp or something?"

Chrom closed his eyes, took a deeper breath. Keep calm, he told himself.

"Why are you avoiding Frederick?"

Lissa looked back at him, perplexed.

"Whaat? I'm not avoiding anyone."

"Aren't you?" said Chrom with evident sarcasm. "Well, that's very odd, because he's been following me, _just me_ , twenty four seven for the last couple of weeks. I mean it literally, mind you, and I'm sick of it."

The girl furrowed her brows, considering her brother.

"Why won't you tell him to go away instead of yelling at me?" she asked reproachfully.

"Why won't you tell him to go away instead of hiding in the ladies' tent?" he said back at her.

"Fair point," admitted Lissa. "But why are you sick of him _now_? I mean, I've been ditching him ever since we came to Ferox. Why haven't I heard you complain sooner?"

The prince was silent for a moment. Long enough for it to be suspicious.

"Has Sumia finally made a move on you?" His sister elbowed him playfully with a knowing smirk. "And you're too embarrassed to kiss her in front of your old buddy?"

There was no way she had any idea how close to home this hit. No reason for him to admit it, though.

"It− It's nothing like it! I would never− Don't be silly, Lissa. I just want to be alone for a moment, okay?"

Chrom's fidgeting made Lissa laugh hard in his face. He could be so adorably awkward sometimes.

"Ha ha ha! Yeah, suuuureee. I believe you, I almost do."

Things were going much harder than he hoped they would. The man reminded himself why he was angry with his sister in the first place. This gave him the power to counterattack.

"You think I enjoy my every move being watched around the clock? That I like not being able to sneeze without Frederick running to me to wipe my nose? Or worse? Try it sometimes and you'll know what I mean. I've had enough, is all. I need a break."

"Okay, okay, I get it," said Lissa, putting her hands up defensively. "I'll _try_ to ditch him less frequently. No, truly, I will. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

She made it to walk past him, but Chrom caught her by the shoulder.

"Try is not good enough. I need you to distract him for several hours−"

"What?!" she protested, not letting him finish.

"− a day, for a week at least," he continued, undeterred.

Lissa looked at Chrom as if he spontaneously sprouted antlers. Her jaw hang open for several seconds in a very non-princess-like manner, until she finally collected herself.

"Are you out of your mind?" she asked in a high-pitched tone. "Why ever would I do that?"

"Because you owe me!" Chrom's patience was running out.

"I don't owe you anything!" countered his sister. "Find some other way to deal with your problems. Just don't talk to Frederick the way you did earlier, because it turned out soooo great for you."

Lissa stifled a laugh at the memory of Chrom's naked pictures hanging on the wall of every tent. Chrom shuddered involuntarily, then he immediately refocused on his task. He didn't want to use his triumph card yet, but it seemed he had no other choice.

"Alright, then," he said, shrugging. "If you refuse to help me, I'll tell everyone in the camp about your biggest secret."

Lissa's smile froze on her lips, and the prince could swear she paled a bit.

"Which one?" she said testily.

"Oh, I don't know," Chrom teased. "There are plenty to choose from. Think the most private and embarrassing one."

"You wouldn't dare!" Now Lissa was the one to shout. Although, having noticed her brother's smirk, she wasn't sure she was right.

"Oh yeah? Why won't you try me, then? I bet Maribelle and Vaike will find very amusing all the little things you did when you had a crush on− Ouch!"

Lissa punched him in the arm, which turned out to be quite painful. The prince could see the color rising in her face. It seemed he got to her, after all.

"Alright, I'll do it! Just shut up already!" Seeing that her brother's face brightened, she tried to negotiate. "Two hours a day for a week, starting tomorrow. Will this be enough to keep your big ugly mouth quiet?"

Chrom smiled triumphantly, baring his teeth.

"Three hours. Consecutive hours," he specified almost immediately, "not divided into five-minute intervals."

Lissa rolled her eyes at his comment. He knew her too well.

"Two and a half," she said with finality. "And wipe that stupid grin from your face, will you?"

"Thanks, Lissa," said Chrom a bit more seriously. "It means a lot."

"Anything for you, my lord," his sister said in mock flattery that was meant to mimic Frederick's speech. Chrom shuddered at the resemblance. "Is that all, your majesty?"

"Pretty much." The man put his hands into his pockets and turned to leave. When he was out of the punch zone, he added, as if he suddenly remembered it. "Oh, and I talked to Lon'qu about my recent memory loss. You know, the one where I appointed him _instead_ of Frederick to be your guard?"

Lissa watched her brother in utter disbelief. So much for getting to know the handsome Feroxian champion a little better.

"I hate you so much right now!"


	2. Chapter 2

The time of their next battle was approaching. The bandit's camp wasn't big but it was hard to get past the guards. Making references to a hand-drawn map of the nearby forest, Robin was explaining the strategy to Chrom. She had the main idea in her head, but still needed his input about troop placement. Therefore, the tactician found it highly infuriating whenever the prince asked her to repeat the last thing she said to him. Usually, his lack of focus could be traced back to their proximity. Now, however, Chom's thoughts wandered elsewhere, as he kept his hands to himself − well, for the most part − while repeatedly glancing at the entrance. As if he was expecting someone else to join them.

"Chrom? Is there something bothering you?" she asked after it turned out that he didn't remember half of their conversation.

"Bothering?" said the prince, startled. "No, I don't think so."

"Troubling, then?" inquired Robin, raising an eyebrow. "Because I can tell I'm not getting your full attention, and this could have devastating results on the battlefield."

Chrom lowered his gaze, a clear indication that something was off. He scratched the back of his head before he voiced what was really on his mind.

"Did you see Frederick?"

Robin shifted in her seat. "Not since training. You asked Lissa to keep him busy, remember?"

The prince nodded.

"Yes, I do. But this was over a week ago. He should be back jumping around me by now."

The tactician laughed, rubbing his arm affectionately.

"You actually miss him, don't you?" she said in a sudden revelation.

Chrom shrugged at her words. Of course he missed Frederick. They'd known each other for a very long time and had been practically inseparable ever since Robin joined the Shepherds. The prince didn't mind this too much until he and Robin started dating and needed their privacy.

After seeing very little of the man since morning, Chrom started to worry. The knight would never abandon his duties unless he was gravely ill, and there was certainly no way that Lissa would give her brother an extra Frederick-free day without an ulterior motive.

"Would it bother you if I went to check on him?" he asked.

Robin shook her head. "Not at all. It's not that you're of much use to me in your current state."

She saw Chrom grin apologetically when he collected his Falchion.

"My apologies," he stated, stopping right before the exit.

"It's okay," said the tactician, as she returned to working on the battle plan. "Good luck."

* * *

Before Chrom found Frederick, he ran into Lissa. The prince wondered what she needed all these frogs for, but decided it was better not to ask.

"Hey, Lissa!"

The girl jumped and hid the pot full of water behind her back. _Not suspicious at all._

"Where's Frederick?" he asked.

"I thought he was with you," she replied, smiling nervously.

"If he was, I wouldn't be looking for him, now, would I?" Chrom sighed. "I see he's not with you, either."

"Maybe he's still resting after yesterday."

Chrom gave his sister a suspicious look. Now he wished he had checked on the knight earlier.

"What did you do to him?" he said in an accusatory tone, sitting down next to the girl.

"Nothing!" she replied, a little offended. Her brother raised the eyebrow. "No, I'm serious. You'd better ask what he did to me! My legs are killing me, half of my body is sore, I have bruises all over. True, he warned me he would be rough with me, but I mean, come ooon!"

Chrom's face turned gray.

"Did he− You mean, he did− with you− you both did−" He made vague moves with his hands. Lissa was furrowing her brows until comprehension hit her.

"What?! No!" she heartily denied, having caught up with her brother's line of thoughts. "Chrom, you perv! Only because you're doing it doesn't mean everyone else is, okay?"

The prince's expression turned crimson for a change. This was embarrassing.

"So." He cleared his throat. "What exactly are we talking about here?"

Lissa sat up more comfortably, which meant she had a lot of things to tell about. _Oh, brother_.

"Well, you wanted me to keep Frederick busy, right? Sooo, I had this crazy idea, which turned out to be very stupid by the way. I came to him and asked for private training sessions. You know, to finally hold my own and catch up with the rest of the group, or something like that."

"Whoa, wait a moment!" the prince interrupted. "You actually _trained_ with Frederick?"

"Oh yes, I did!" She saw a hint of skepticism in his blue eyes. "What, you don't believe me? Wanna proof? How about all the scratches and bruises I got? See? You can't fake that!"

"Alright, I believe you!" said Chrom, withdrawing a little. "Just take your tiny hands from my face."

Lissa folded her arms at her brother's ungratefulness.

"I hope you appreciate all the sacrifices I make for the sake of you getting laid!"

"I never said that's why−" the prince began to explain himself. But there was nothing to explain, really. "You know what, we're getting off track here, again. The week's over. Why isn't Frederick all on my back already? Not that I miss it!" He shrugged. "Just curious."

The girl looked into the distance. Her lips curled into a small smile.

"Because today was our slacking-off day. Don't worry, big bro, you'll have your knight back tomorrow. Consider this an early birthday gift."

"I'm not sure I understand you correctly," said the prince, making sure that his senses weren't playing tricks on him. "Did you say you got Frederick to slow down a bit?"

"Well…" Lissa considered his choice of words. "He wastes his time and enjoys it, I hope. But then, once he's done, he works twice as hard as usual. So, let's call it a partial victory, shall we?" She paused for a moment. "Did you know that Frederick had no idea how to relax?"

"Frederick? No way, never," said Chrom in mock surprise.

"I'm serious! At first, I couldn't believe it myself. After one day of professionally slacking off, he was more tired than I was after a whooole day of training! Now he's probably catching up. Sweeping the grass or something."

They both laughed.

"You mean there's no reason for me to worry? And I don't actually need to go and talk to him?"

"Not unless you miss a dusted Robin so much that you can't wait until tomorrow."

Chrom cringed on the inside. "That was one time."

"Still, this was sooo hilarious, wasn't it?"

The prince walked away with much to think about. He didn't know what surprised him more: the fact that Lissa made Frederick slack off or the fact that she let him train her. He wasn't sure what his opinion was on either of those things.


	3. Chapter 3

At the sound of approaching footsteps, Robin looked up from her book. She wasn't expecting any guests, but some irrational hope told her that maybe Chrom's last meeting ended early. To her surprise, instead of a deep male voice, she heard a female one, speaking very loudly and clearly.

"What a nice sunny day it is! It's such a perfect moment to visit my dear friend, Robin! I wonder if she's in her tent right now?"

Robin chuckled in amusement. "You can come in, Lissa. I'm alone."

Lissa entered, breathing out a sigh of relief.

"Phew! You had me worried for a moment. I would so hate to walk in on you and Chrom. That would be just… ugh!" She shrugged in disgust. "Are you busy?"

"No, I'm just rereading my favorite strategy book," the woman said, glancing at her desk. "But I could definitely use a break. What's up?"

"Can I sit down?" asked Lissa in an uncharacteristically timid manner.

"Yes, of course, where are my manners?" The tactician jumped up to her feet, offering her only chair to the princess and taking the bed instead. "Please, have a seat."

The girl gladly took the vacant seat that was offered to her. She took as much air into her lungs as she could and stated in a single breath,

"I wanted to talk to you about something. But please, pleeaaase, don't make fun of me, okay?"

Robin simply looked back at her.

"Oookay, I promise not to laugh." If the tactician felt uneasy with her guest's behavior earlier, now she was positively terrified.

"Oh, goodie!" said Lissa, brightening up momentarily. "So, you see, Maribelle told me there is this guy she kinda likes, like likes _likes_ , if you know what I mean. But whenever she is with this guy, he just never makes a move on her. So, she asked me, _Hey, Lissa, what do I do to make him notice me_? And I told her, _Sorry, darling, but I don't know much about men_. Then I thought, hey, at least I know someone who does! Sooo, voila! I'm here."

Robin stared at Lissa, feeling overwhelmed with the amount of new information.

"Let me get this straight. You want me to advise you on what to advise Maribelle about flirting with men?"

Lissa smiled at the tactician.

"Yep, pretty much."

Robin rubbed her forehead and adjusted her robes. She needed as much time to process this as she could get.

"Do I get to know who's the lucky guy?" The woman raised her eyebrows encouragingly.

"Nope, she didn't tell me."

 _Right,_ thought Robin. She cleared her throat.

"Er, I think that _Maribelle_ should start with interlacing small compliments into their conversations. For example, she could tell him how nice he looks in his new armor, or how she admires his weapon skills. Then, she could try initiating some physical contact. Touch his hand, his arm, maybe his leg, but not above his knee, at least at the beginning. She will see how the man reacts, and, if he likes her, he'll probably do the same things with her."

Lissa's face fell.

"Oh, she's already done all that," the girl replied a little disappointed. "Like, _a lot_. The guy is kinda dense, he never sees these as anything romantic."

That's a tough one.

"Hmm, then maybe something more straightforward?" Robin suggested. "Leaning close when they sit next to each other, holding hands, looking him straight into the eyes. Heck, she could kiss him on the cheek if she's feeling bold."

Robin thought she gave the young princess plenty of good advice. Still, Lissa seemed unsatisfied.

"Did all this stuff really work on my brother?" she asked incredulously.

The tactician was tempted to say what had _really_ worked, but Chrom would have killed her for demoralizing his little sister. Instead, she said,

"It… helped."

Lissa nodded, accepting the answer.

"Well, I must say your perspective was somewhat useless, but thanks anyway."

After the princess left, Robin sighed heavily before going back to her book. She opened it, looked down, and shouted in a mix of shock and disgust.

"Bwaaaah!" A huge millipede marched across the pages, missing her hand by mere centimeters. Disgust was soon replaced with anger. "Lissa!"

* * *

Frederick wandered around the camp, too deep in thoughts to pay attention to all the pebbles lying around. He couldn't believe he had been so desperate for help he'd actually looked forward to talking about his love life with Cordelia. After two hours of listening about her unrequited feelings for Chrom, however, he knew that his turn would never come. After the tenth time of hearing _Why, Frederick, why?,_ he ran away from her like a coward. Hell, even then, he went and asked Virion for advice! Didn't understand a word from his response, though.

The knight looked around and noticed that his legs brought him to the training grounds. To his astonishment, someone was already there. Chrom was practicing new battle techniques with his Falchion. He was in the middle of a particularly long swing when Frederick appeared on his side out of nowhere.

"Gods, Frederick! Don't startle me like that. I could have hurt you!"

"My apologies, milord. Startling you was not my intention."

"I know," said Chrom, his heart hammering in his chest. He leaned against the sword. "Did something happen?"

"No, sire, everything seems in perfect order," replied Frederick, shaking his head. "There's no sign of the enemy forces near the camp. Our weapons are in satisfactory condition. They've even been polished to blind our enemies with their glow alone."

"I… I see. Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to training."

But Frederick didn't leave.

"Could I spare with you, milord?"

Chrom considered him for a moment. "Spare? With me?"

"Only if it wouldn't be of any inconvenience," the knight added.

"What? No, of course not."

Frederick nodded in acknowledgement. "Allow me to fetch the training swords, then."

Chrom wondered what was bothering his knight. He never asked to spare unless there was something he needed to get off his mind. Last time was after the man spent an entire day collecting the horses that Sumia accidentally set free. Chrom hoped that this time it wasn't anything more serious.

A minute later, Frederick tossed one sword to his sparring partner, and they began their play fight. The knight was giving Chrom a hard time. Attacking fiercely, almost with no breaks. In a few moments, the younger man was covered in sweat.

"I don't want to pry, but… if there's something bothering you… maybe we could just talk about it… please?" he said, panting.

"Thank you, milord, but I wouldn't like to trouble you with my problems."

"It's not a… trouble," the prince coughed up, almost breathless. "I want… to help you."

At these words, Frederick slowed to a more bearable pace. Chrom was thanking the gods for a breathing space. The knight slowly opened up while still fencing with deadly precision.

"You know that you and Lissa are like a family to me, right? That I would do everything to protect you, and that nothing brings me more joy than to make you happy?"

Chrom almost dropped his sword after Frederick's confession. He had no idea where this declaration had suddenly come from.

"Of course I do!" replied the prince when he regained his ability to speak. "How could you question that?"

Silence was the only answer he got.

"Did I do something wrong?" Chrom inquired. Then, he rolled his eyes in realization. "Please tell me Lissa didn't put a mouse down your armor again!"

"Neither milord nor milady did anything wrong," Frederick quietly admitted. _I did, though_.

"But?"

Again, there was no answer.

"Look, Frederick, I know we don't say it often, but myself and Lissa are glad we can always depend on you. Believe me, we really appreciate everything you do for us, even if we're too preoccupied with other things to tell you straight away. You've always been like an older brother to us."

Frederick froze. A split second was enough for a parry he didn't counter. Chrom got his ribs.

"Oh, gods, Frederick!" the prince shouted in shock, as the knight kneeled to the ground. "I'm so sorry. You all right?"

Chrom could only imagine how painful this must have been. But instead of giving up, Frederick got back up and kept swinging his sword at Chrom with double the effort.

Until he won. A tip of the wooden blade stopped centimeters from the lord's throat. The knight lowered his weapon, finally breaking a sweat, bowed to his liege and left without a word.

Positively exhausted, Chrom leaned against the nearby fence. He felt his mouth burn from the effort, his breathing was coming in short gasps.

 _What the hell was this all about?_


	4. Chapter 4

At first, it took Frederick by surprise that he was actually looking forward to his slacking off sessions with Lissa. He gave the matter much thought and supposed he finally figured out why. With her, he could loosen up for once in his life and finally be his true self. Not an overworked workaholic whose only pleasure was to please everyone except himself.

He hoped the girl enjoyed his company, as well. Otherwise, the knight believed, she'd ditch him long ago. She was good at avoiding him when she put her mind to it.

"What's going on in this big head of yours?"

Lissa's voice brought Frederick back to reality. He was walking near the camp now, the princess by his side.

"Just thinking about our next battle," he said dismissively.

This earned him a scornful look.

"Hey! You were supposed to relax, remember? It's a waste of my time if you keep thinking about your responsibilities."

Frederick was sure that the whole point of their meetings was to waste time but made no comment.

"You're right, of course. My apologies." The knight stopped to look around. "Is this spot to your liking?"

They were standing in an open field. Trees were sparse and spread out, so that there was no risk of being ambushed. Lissa approved his choice of place, so Frederick put out a blanket, and they both sat down on the ground.

"Hmm… Maybe you simply need more help to let go this time?" said the girl thoughtfully, referring to Frederick's earlier answer. "Let me help you. Just don't move!"

She shifted to sit behind him, put her hands on both sides of the knight's neck, and massaged his shoulders. It was easy to do so without his armor on, although she wished he'd lose the suit, as well. She could feel hard crumples under her fingers, as his every muscle tightened.

"Geez, you're tense!" stated Lissa, doubling her efforts. "No wonder you're not enjoying yourself much."

"That's vastly incorrect, milady. I _am_ enjoying myself whenever I spend time with you."

This wasn't the first time Frederick made a similar comment, although the reply he received was definitely new to him.

"For real?" asked Lissa enthusiastically. "Aww, that is sooo sweet of you to say!"

The man was thankful she couldn't see him blush. He closed his eyes, instead focusing his attention on the pleasurable rubbing of his muscles. It felt so good… Frederick forgot himself for a moment, until he realized that he was enjoying Lissa's touch a little too much. His eyes shot open.

"I'm much better now, thank you," he said, removing her hand from him while placing a light kiss on the tips of her fingers. "So, how about those clouds?"

Without waiting for an answer, Frederick lied down on the grass. His breathing slowed down, his mind emptied of unnecessary thoughts. Soon, he was joined by Lissa, who stretched out next to him. He glanced down to see that, unlike last time, their hands weren't touching. The knight found it slightly disappointing.

He looked up at the sky and watched as the clouds went by. They came in various different shapes, sizes, and shades of grey. On one occasion, he and Lissa played a game of finding clouds that resembled given objects. Frederick remembered how she grabbed his forearm to show him a cloud shaped like a dog. He didn't like dogs much, always felt like screaming _BACK, FOUL BEAST!_ when he saw one, but was very fond of the memory.

For several minutes, they just lied in silence, enjoying each other's company. The knight felt Lissa put her head against his shoulder, something she usually did before she dozed off. This time, apparently, she was more bored than sleepy.

"Frederick?" said the girl and waited for him to shift his head. "What do you think of me?"

Frederick considered his answer. Normally, he would say that axes were definitely not her thing and he'd recommend her to switch to magic tomes. His last talk with Olivia, however, told him that women meant something entirely different when asking him this question.

"I think," he stated, choosing his words carefully, "that you are a very kind, energetic, and attractive young woman."

Lissa laughed awkwardly, punching him in a playful manner.

"I meant as a princess, silly, but thanks for your honesty."

 _Damn it._

Fortunately, he was saved the need to explain himself, as the princess sighed, looking back into the clouds.

"Usually when I ask people this question, they tell me I'm too whiny, too pranky, too picky, blah blah blah, too whatever, really. They tell me what I should stop doing but not what I should do instead. That is _so_ not helpful, you know?"

Less pranks wouldn't hurt, thought Frederick, although he wasn't sure if he truly meant it. He understood how important a good laugh was when there was little else to laugh about. Besides, Lissa never played a joke on the same person twice in a row, so there was some sense of security.

Taking a deep breath, the knight told her a story that, he believed, would help her get more perspective.

"During my first week as a knight, my fellows instructed me to change next to every thing about my attitude. To better fit in, they said. Much later, I learned from my friend that they did this because they envied me. At that moment, I realized I hadn't been doing anything wrong. Maybe it's similar for you, milady?"

Lissa stared at Frederick hopefully.

"You think people want me to change even though I'm doing everything right?"

The man smirked. "This, or they're just mad about the critters in their garment."

Lissa chuckled, remembering a half-naked Vaike chasing her around the camp the other day.

"I feel better now. Thank you, Frederick." She propped up on her elbows and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Even a brush of her lips was enough to send shivers down his spine. Frederick couldn't recall any other woman who would have a similar effect on him. Paradoxically, he enjoyed the sensation and hated himself for enjoying it at the same time. It was wrong of him as a knight to think of his princess as a woman, with delicate curves hidden under her lacy yellow dress. Wearing the well-fitted undergarment he prepared for her the other day. The thought alone made him swallow.

He noted that she was leaning dangerously close to him now. Frederick meant to say something, gently ask her to keep her distance. Yet, nothing appropriate that couldn't be interpreted as hurtful or offensive came to his mind.

So, the knight just gazed at her, and she gazed back. Then, the girl slowly extended a hand in his direction. It seemed that Lissa was unsure where he would allow her to touch him. After stopping in mid-way, she moved her hand to caress his face. Frederick closed his eyes and, despite his better judgment, leaned in to her gentle strokes. He felt her hand drop from his chin to his chest, where it kept making small circles and steadily moving lower.

Frederick was sure the girl had no idea what she was doing to him. He delicately stilled her hand, sitting up.

"Please, milady," his voice was pleading, almost begging. "I need you to stop… doing that, or I might do something we'd both regret. You're my liege, I swore to protect you. I− I would never wish to betray your trust."

A realization gnawed upon Lissa's face. _So that's the reason he's been ignoring me_ , she thought. And there she was thinking that her boobs were too small. Lissa nearly facepalmed herself for not figuring this out earlier.

"You don't betray anything if I want you to do this," said Lissa in a tone that she hoped could pass as seductive. She grabbed his hand. It was so much bigger than her own. "I've always thought of you as more than my knight, Frederick."

Frederick swallowed, hardly believing what he was hearing.

"More than my friend, even," the princess added, half-whispering now. The knight did not respond, so she asked, "Is that really so terrible?"

This caught him off guard. He felt as if the ground was swept from below his feet. It was hard to do so, but Frederick knew that Lissa expected him to give her an honest answer.

"No," the man said in a hoarse voice. He stroke the princess's face with the back of his fingers. "Of course not."

Evidently, this was all the encouragement she needed. The girl kissed him again, this time on the lips. Her little hands cupped his cheeks, and her entire body was leaning against him now. The knight's hands moved on their own accord, finding her hips. As he tried to pull Lissa even closer, he heard her moan against his lips. This alone told him more than her earlier reassurance.

Frederick started to kiss back, his mind drawing a blank. He was done with excuses.


	5. Chapter 5

It was already getting dark, yet Chrom and Robin were still lying on the prince's bed, maps and sheets of papers scattered around them. They had been discussing the necessary changes in their battle strategy, given the recent findings of the reconnaissance squad. After a few hours of brainstorming, Robin decided to call it a day.

"Alright, I think we've done enough for now," said the tactician, collecting her things.

"You're not leaving yet, are you?" A note of concern appeared in the man's voice.

Robin shook her head. "I can stay for a bit longer if you want."

She felt Chrom's hands grab her from behind. He didn't even wait for her to put the papers away.

"Shouldn't we wait until Frederick's evening report?" she asked, as the prince put his lips to her neck.

"If he hasn't come by now, I don't think he has anything to say. He'll probably show up first thing in the morning."

Chrom took the papers from Robin's hands and placed them on his desk. He reached for the top button of her tactician robes when someone burst into the room.

A loud groan escaped his throat. He should really think about hiring guards.

"Lissa!" yelled the prince at the sight of his sister, who was doing her best not to chuckle. "Could you finally learn to knock?"

She ignored him.

"Oh, you're together. Cool! Because we'd like to tell you something."

Chrom looked around the tent. "We?"

Lissa turned back to find out that there was nobody standing behind her.

"Oh, for the love of gods! Cooome ooon heeere!" she said through gritted teeth, dragging another person inside.

Frederick looked as if he'd rather be anywhere else than here. He refused to meet anyone's gaze, staring at the floor. The view was quite peculiar.

Chrom's eyebrows went all the way up.

"To what do we owe this visit?" asked Robin, her lips curling up.

"Should I begin?" asked Lissa in a loud whisper that carried over the room. "He won't kill _me_ , I'm his sister."

"Oh no, milady, allow me." Lissa glared at Frederick for reasons Chrom could only guess.

The knight composed himself as best as he could. He cleared his throat. Twice. Then, he finally said,

"Milord, as you are very well aware, I have been serving you and lady Lissa for many years now. In that time, I never did anything to put you in an unfavorable position or disgrace your name. Therefore, I hope with all my heart that you will be able to accept our decision."

Chrom seemed puzzled, but Robin's look was expectant. Instinctively, she grabbed Chrom's hand and squeezed it lightly.

"Er, right," said the prince, his eyes wandering between his sister and their knight. "Sorry, but I have no idea where you're going with this."

Frederick blinked. He glanced at Lissa for support and started over.

"What I was trying to say is, given lady Lissa's position as the princess of Ylisse and my duty as the knight−"

Lissa lost her patience.

"Can't we make it brief? We don't have the whole day!"

The princess took matters into her own hands. She walked up to Chrom and Robin, and put out her hand with a ring on it.

"We're engaged! There, I said it. You can congratulate us and all."

Frederick placed a shaky hand around Lissa and glanced expectantly at the prince. They readied themselves for various reactions to the news. This was none of them, though.

"Oh, come on, man!" shouted Chrom, pointing at the knight. "Couldn't you keep it in your pants for a few more days?"

Frederick turned white, Lissa red. Together they looked like two gemstones on the Fire Emblem. Robin burst out laughing.

"He meant the ring!" she clarified to save them further embarrassment. "You're a sore loser, Chrom."

"Easy for you to say. An entire flask of Feroxi mead. Gods damn it!"

"Eeeer… Could someone tell us what's going on?" said Lissa after the initial shock wore off.

Robin smiled sympathetically. She stood up and addressed the couple.

"We're both very happy that you finally decided to get married and wish you all the best in your new life together. Don't we, Chrom?"

"What?" said the prince distractedly. He stood up, as well. "Yes, of course we do. My apologies. Congratulations on your engagement, and, well, you know the rest."

"Thank you, milord," said Frederick to Chrom, looking extremely relieved. Then, he nodded at Robin. "Milady."

All of a sudden, Robin felt very emotional.

"Oh, come here, you…!"

She gave Frederick a heart-felt hug, and then turned to embrace Lissa. Chrom did the same but turned out to be much more awkward in showing affection.

When they were done, Lissa remembered something.

"Wait, Robin, you said _finally_. What's that supposed to mean?"

Robin stifled a laugh. "Excuse me for saying this, guys, but it took you long enough."

This time, it was Frederick who spoke first. "You mean you knew?"

"About your _secret_ relationship?" asked Chrom, enjoying the look of horror on Frederick's face. "Of course we did. Although, I bet it would take you longer to commit, buddy; judging from your resistance to Lissa's earlier advances. Robin believed in you, though. I guess she's a better judge of characters."

"But if you knew, sire, then why didn't you say something?"

"There was nothing to say, really." The prince shrugged in a non-committal way. "You both seemed very happy. Why ruin it?"

Frederick and Lissa beamed at each other. The knight took a hand of his future bride into his own.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" asked the princess, squeezing his palm.

"No, it wasn't," replied Frederick. He could lose himself into her deep grey eyes.

"Ahem," said Chrom, bringing the couple back to reality. The knight jumped up, but Lissa stood her ground.

"Excuse us, but we have a lot of things to… _discuss_ ," the girl stated, as she turned to leave. "Come on, Freddie! Let's go."

Not wasting any more time, Lissa went out of the tent, dragging Frederick behind her with ease. Even though he was nearly twice as big as she was.

After they were gone, Chrom breathed out a sigh. He pulled Robin close to him and kissed her on the forehead, whispering against her skin,

"Guess our family just got bigger."


End file.
